ECONOMY. 
59 
ride somewhere, in next to no time, and for nothing; 
but though a crowd rushes to the depot, and the conduct¬ 
or shouts “ All aboard! ” when the smoke is blown away 
and the vapor condensed, it will be perceived that a few 
are riding, but the rest are run over,— and it will 
be called, and will be, “ A melancholy accident.” No 
doubt they can ride at last who shall have earned 
their fare, that is, if they survive so long, but they will 
probably have lost their elasticity and desire to travel 
by that time. This spending of the best part of one’s life 
earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty 
during the least valuable part of it, reminds me of the 
Englishman who went to India to make a fortune first, 
in order that he might return to England and live the 
life of a poet. He should have gone up garret at once. 
“ What! ” exclaim a million Irishmen starting up from 
all the shanties in the land, “is not this railroad 
which we have built a good thing ? ” Yes, I answer, 
comparatively good, that is, you might have done worse; 
but I wish, as you are brothers of mine, that you could 
have spent your time better than digging in this dirt. 
Before I finished my house, wishing to earn ten or 
twelve dollars by some honest and agreeable method, in 
order to meet my unusual expenses, I planted about two 
acres and a half of light and sandy soil near it chiefly 
with beans, but also a small part with potatoes, corn, 
peas, and turnips. The whole lot contains eleven acres, 
mostly growing up to pines and hickories, and was sold 
the preceding season for eight dollars and eight cents 
an acre. One farmer said that it was “ good for nothing 
but to raise cheeping squirrels on/’ I put no manure 
